In Kingston, La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life)

The little shop at 27 Broadway in Kingston just might disappoint sweets-craving people like Peter Clemenza, the fictitious caporegime in Mario Puzo's "The Godfather."

He'd have to drop both the gun and the idea of buying cannolis for his wife if he stopped there on the way home.

That's because the owner doesn't sell them.

For that matter, you can't even find the traditional tiramisu, pasticiotti or rum cake at the place that bears the name Dolce, meaning "sweet" in Italian.

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It is not a classic pasticerria (pastry shop) like you might find abundantly throughout New York's Little Italy. What owner Alessandra Tecchio does offer, however, is to die for just the same.

Consider the inventive paninis and sandwiches she whips up with her husband, Zeno.

Soak in the fragrant air and inhale the intoxicating, earthy scent of Tecchio's signature handmade breads on which they are served.

Sample the chocolate biscotti with almonds or the strawberry-banana crepe with whipped cream that have become all the rage at the European-style café.

Or, if you choose, make it your morning spot to meet a friend over a cup of hot, fresh espresso, organic juice or homemade cocoa.

"I stick with simple items," Tecchio said. "In the beginning, I tried making cakes, but it just wasn't working."

The youngest of six children, she has indeed found her niche and done remarkably well with her breakfast and lunch nook in Downtown Kingston.

She's been operating the trendy Dolce for four years, quietly building her reputation as a purveyor of fresh, artisan breads and wholesome vegan specialties like muffins.

"I think I always had it in me to open a small coffee shop," she said. "Italians, they take a lot of pride in their food. It's just part of our culture."

Tecchio comes from a long line of cooks that trace back to her legendary father, Tarcisio. He operated the popular Mary P's at the foot of Broadway for close to 20 years.

In the early 1980s, Tarcisio came to the United States from Portogruaro, a town in the province of Venice, Italy, known for its wines and seaside resorts. The rest of the family followed in 1989.

Today, Tecchio's brother, Graziano, runs The Mint across the street from Mariner's Harbor.

Alessandra and her sister, Ileana, opened it last year as a wine and tapas bar, but have since passed it on to their sibling, who now offers full-course dinners featuring homemade pastas.

The culinary talent goes back even further to Tecchio's grandmother, Angelina, who was famous for her homemade gnocchi in the Old Country.

"I didn't go to school to learn how to cook," Tecchio said in her evocatively ticklish Italian accent. "I just have an instinct for it," she said.

The 32-year-old woman, who keeps a girlishly trim figure, admits she is more health-conscious than many of her ancestors might have been.

"Food is supposed to be wholesome and good. It's fuel for your body, so the better it is, the healthier you feel," she said.

Even in her home country, there is more of a trend toward healthier cuisine, she added.

"You can still eat the rich foods there, but it's more in limited amounts," Tecchio said. "The richer foods were traditionally eaten by farmers, who worked all day and burnt off the calories in their fields."

The contemporary Italian diet is not only plant-based, she said, but it also relies heavily on grains, seeds, beans and olive oil.

In fact, much of what people think of as Italian food has been Americanized, she said.

"Even the pizza is much thinner in Italy," Tecchio noted.

Still, there is no doubt that bread is a staple. Most Italian families wouldn't dream of sharing a meal without it.

"It is a tradition to go to the bakery and get your fresh bread for the day," Tecchio said. "If you don't have bread with your dinner, it's weird."

Maybe that's why she has immersed herself in the fine art of bread making and why she still bakes it fresh on the premises of her shop.

"It takes time," she said. "It could take eight hours or so each day, but it is worth the effort."

No doubt, her patrons agree.

"The food is always consistent, and it's always fresh, and people know that," she said.

Some of Dolce's most popular menu items include the scrambled spinach sandwich served with pesto and tomato.

Another favorite is the turkey sandwich layered with avocado and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Of course, the made-from-scratch pancakes and crepes are big sellers, and Tecchio makes it a point to be clever with them.

The two most popular are the strawberry-banana and caramel -- neither of them too sweet nor too rich -- but bursting with flavor, all the same.

"I try to put in as much fresh products as I'm able to," Tecchio said. "I don't go for the margarines or the hydrogenated oils."

No doubt, she is proud of what she's built up in just four years and how she's earned the loyalty of patrons from around the area.

Dolce typically draws local residents. Occasionally, however, the tourist or visitor attending a downtown festival will drop by to experience the food and atmosphere.

"A lot of the people who come in know each other. It kind of builds community," she said.

Tecchio is equally proud of the strong European influence of her shop, which was torn down inside and then rebuilt by her family.

It exudes an earthy quality with hardwood floors and brick walls that are splashed with colorful paintings by local artist Todd Samara

"I think it's very calming and welcoming," she said of the shop. "It's not pretentious."

Tecchio likes to think it mirrors her personality. As the baby of the family, she said it was sometimes hard to "find" herself.

"I tried to be like my brothers and sisters," she said, "but as you grow older, you realize how important you are to the family and how much support you can give to each other."

As for changing her offerings to become more like a pastry shop, Tecchio absolutely refuses to consider that.

"I think some are disappointed that I don't have cannolis, but I went with the name 'Dolce' because it's just so simple, and I think it's easy to remember."

The cafe is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (845) 339-0921.

DOlce's orange butter crepe with fresh berries and whipped cream

Crepe mix

1 egg

1 cup milk

¾ cup flour

2 tsp. melted butter

Orange butter

4 tbs. unsalted butter at room temperature

1 tbs. grated orange peel

Whipped cream

½ cup fresh whipped cream

Metal bowl

Medium to large whisk

Pure maple syrup

Sugar

Oil

Non-stick pan

In a blender or by hand, whisk together egg, milk, flour and melted butter until smooth. Refrigerate mix for about 30 minutes. To make orange butter, mix soft unsalted butter and orange peel until incorporated. To make fresh whipped cream, whisk the cream in a metal bowl by hand or using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. If you like, you may add a touch of pure vanilla extract or a tablespoon of sugar for sweetness.

Coat a nonstick pan with a little oil just so crepe won't stick. Place pan on medium-high heat; when pan is hot, pour a ¼ cup to ½ cup of crepe mix (depending on pan size) and swirl pan around so crepe mix coats the pan forming a thin layer. Wait about 30 seconds and with a spatula and using your hands, flip crepe. Cook for another 20-30 seconds and remove from pan. Crepe should be golden in color and soft. Spread orange butter on half of the crepe and sprinkle with a little sugar. Fold crepe in half and then fold again in half. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top, drizzle with pure maple syrup and dot with fresh berries. Enjoy.

Please note that the first crepe may not come out. You should have success with the second attempt.